Merlin Club: The Dark Tower or The One Where Magical Stockholm Syndrome™ is a Thing and Morgana Has a Plan that Actually Works

 

Okay, so long story short, Morgana kidnaps Gwen from the middle of a bunch of knights while she and her brother, Elyan, were on their way home from a pilgrimage to their father’s grave. Leon and Percival get bitten by poison magical snakes and the knights return to Camelot sans their queen. Arthur is flipping out so they all go search for Gwen. Percival and Leon have recovered but now they’re having Twinsies Magical Poison Snake Dreams™ that give them a clue where Gwen is being held.

Meanwhile, Gwen is suffering some intense Magical Stockholm Syndrome™ thanks to sleep deprivation, Morgana’s magic and everyone’s favorite drippy slimy mandrake root. Well, plural – there are hundreds of them in the room Gwen is locked in.

Arthur, Merlin and the knights battle their way through a fairytale style forest and get lost, but Merlin gets them out thanks to some help from a bitchy fairy named Mab, who she warns him that someone from their group won’t make it back.

They eventually make their way out of the forest, then through the desert that somehow exists in England and to the Dark Tower. It’s all booby trapped Indiana Jones style, but Elyan, makes it through before anyone else and finds Gwen being held hostage by a magical sword that fights him without anyone holding it. He dies, Gwen grieves, Arthur and everyone else find her, they all go home to Camelot and late that night, Gwen sneaks out to meet Morgana in the woods outside the castle. Because thanks to Magical Stockholm Syndrome™, she’s evil, too.

Okay, the questions…

1.)  If I’d written this episode… I’d lose Mab in a heartbeat. I would have made the Dark Tower look less like it belonged in Middle Earth. Also, WTAF with the desert in England!?

2.) The thing I loved/hated most about this episode. I loved that Morgana actually had a decent plan that worked this time. Also, it was pretty evil. Good job, Morgana! I really disliked the inclusion of the fairy, Mab. Okay, I know what you’re thinking – “But Bron! What the fuck, man!? You love fairies.” It’s true, I do. But this feels like trying to quick cram in some more traditional Celtic mythos before the show ends. See also: Tristan and Isolde from last season.

3.) Something you never noticed about this episode before. I’m not really sure there was anything in this one.

4.) Favorite costume. Gwen’s nightgown – this isn’t a shot from this episode, but she wears it.

5.) Here is some proof of some random head canon I’ve created. I didn’t create it, but I really think that Morgana and Evil Gwen are getting it on.

6.) What Merthur moment did Jess have the naughtiest thoughts about? Arthur trusting Merlin when Merlin said he could get them out of the forest.

7.) What made Jen lose her shit  – in a good or bad way? In good way, I’m going with Morgana having an evil plan that actually worked and wasn’t easily thwarted before the end of the episode.

Here’s Jess‘ take on the episode,  and here’s Jen’s